Comfort, Or Something Like It
by foreverwhelmed
Summary: "Shh, Granger...Shh. Listen to me. Take deep breaths. Breathe, Granger. It's okay, shh...shh,"... Draco finds Hermione crying in the prefects' bathroom after something terrible has just happened to her. Will he help her, or will he leave her all alone? TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE, BAD LANGUAGE, AND HARRY/RON BASHING! One-shot. Mostly OOC characters. (Dramione fluff & stuff ;)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! This is my first story I'm publishing** **on Fanfiction, so please be kind. I'm warning you now, I do get really busy quite often with school and everything, but I'm trying to publish ASAP. I really hope you like this fanfic! Thank you guys so much, and please favorite, follow, and review! Lots of lovely lovely love,**

 **Mae :)**

 **(P.S. This will most likely be a one-shot, but I may turn it into a whole story in the future. There is a poll on my profile page so you guys can leave your opinion. Thanks!)**

 **TRIGGER WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS MENTIONS OF RAPE, BAD LANGUAGE, AND ADULT THEMES (RATED M FOR A REASON!)**

 **Disclaimer: All Harry Potter themes, settings, and character belong to the great and magnificent J.K. Rowling. I own nothing...*sniffle***

 **XXX**

* * *

Comfort, Or Something Like It

November 16, 1998

"Why would they do this to me? I thought they were my friends! How could they violate me like this?" I thought to myself as I sat weeping on the cold stone floor of the prefects' bathroom. Bruises littered the skin of my neck and collar bone area. My shirt was torn down the front and my tattered skirt barely covered the blood staining my thighs a deep red.

I continued to sob, gagging on my own breath as I came to terms with everything that had just happened. My throat was raw from screaming and crying and convulsed painfully. I could still feel Harry's painful grip on my wrists as he held me down while Ron yanked down my skirt and underwear. I could still feel the immense pain from the _exact_ moment Ron broke through my virginal barrier, taking something that could never be returned. Their maniacal laughter rang in my ears even after they left me as a damaged wreck, taking my bra and panties as a memento. My body ached in places I hadn't even known existed and I couldn't find the will to move, let alone stand.

I couldn't even bring myself to care as the door swung open and someone's footsteps echoed on the tile. I could only pray it wasn't Harry or Ron back for a second round. The thought was painful enough.

"Shit, Granger! What the fuck happened to you?" Had me turn my head though. I was met with the all too familiar icy blue eyes of Draco Malfoy.

The smug smirk he'd worn immediately vanished as he thoroughly surveyed my condition. "Shit," he cursed, but as a whisper of disbelief this time. He took a few cautious steps towards me, and I automatically scooted away, causing me to wince as my lower regions ached severely.

"Hey, it's alright Granger. I'm not going to hurt you. I swear." His voice was surprisingly soft and I suddenly found it easier to breathe. I fought the urge to shy away from him as he crouched down in front of me and tucked a damp lock of hair behind my ear before brushing away my tears with the pads of his thumbs. "Granger, who did this to you?" He asked in a voice barely above a whisper. I just shook my head against his hands, which were now cradling my head, and he nodded in understanding. "Granger," he said, grabbing my attention. "I'm going to help you, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?" He asked while gently stroking my cheeks. I don't known why, but I nuzzled against his palms and whimpered brokenly. He must've taken that as a yes, because the next thing I know, he's helping me stand.

I hold my shirt together with one hand and his shoulder with the other. I stumbled at first on my wobbly legs and fall against Draco's hard chest. He wraps his arms around me instantly and I can't help finding comfort in his embrace. I couldn't care less if he was meant to be my worst enemy. My body hurts like Hell and he's the only person I have right now. Besides, if Harry and Ron can go from being my best friends to my worst enemies, who's to say Draco can't go from being my worst enemy to my best friend? Wait- BEST FRIEND?! Pfft! He's probably only "helping" me so he can humiliate me later on.

With that thought, I tear myself from his warm body and instantly regret it. His fingertips brush mine for a split second, but it's already too late and he can't catch me in time, so I fall hard on my hip. Pain shoots through my body like lightning and I cry out in agony. The pain coming from my hip only renews the pain of my rape. Every time Ron or Harry thrust into me felt like being stabbed over and over again in the worst possible place. At this point, I was beyond overwhelmed and every sob that escaped my mouth turned into a harsh gasp until I was full on hyperventilating. I became vaguely aware of Draco's warm arms incasing my trembling body as he coaxed me into breathing somewhat normally.

"Shh, Granger...Shh. Listen to me, Granger, take deep breaths. Breathe Granger. It's okay, shh...shh," he cooed softly while cradling my head to his chest.

"I-I'm s-sorry," I sob into his chest as I feel the air returning to my lungs. I could feel him tense behind me and then he pulled back abruptly. I was suddenly terrified he'd shove me away from him and call me a "mudblood" like the old Draco Malfoy, but then he reached out and with the softest fingers, wiped away the tear tracks staining my cheeks.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Hermione. Absolutely nothing." Then he's gently pulling me onto his lap and carefully standing up while holding me to his chest bridal style. I'm too shocked by his use of my given name to thank him, so I wrap my arms around his neck and nestle my head into his shoulder as he carries me over to the large bathtub.

His beautiful silver eyes are full of sympathy as he sets me down on the ledge of the pool-sized tub and I wince in pain from the cold, hard surface. I watch, as if in a trance, as Draco turns on the taps and the tub is filled with steamy water and vanilla scented bubbles. I catch him glance at my attire from the corner of his eye and then frown, but then he notices my obvious discomfort and attempts what I think was supposed to be a reassuring smile. It looked more like a grimace. An uncomfortable silence forms between us as the tub magically fills up. Suddenly he says, "I'll be right back." And he's walking towards the door. My brain doesn't process his words, all I know is that he's leaving. Panic sets in, but I try to act calm and cool.

"W-what-why? I mean, where are you going?" I ask hurriedly, but I can already feel my eyes sting and my vision go blurry from tears when his hand reaches the doorknob. He turns around and must've seen the poorly masked desperation on my face because his eyes widen and he walks back to press a soft kiss to my forehead. I can't hold in a small sigh of relief.

"I'm going to go get you some fresh clothes to wear and smuggle some pain potion from the hospital wing. I'll put up some quick protection wards so no one can get in except for me. I'll be back as soon as possible. I promise. Wait here," he said soothingly. Then he was gone and I was reacquainted with the feeling of emptiness and, strangely enough, longing.

I tried to distract myself by counting every crack in the tile and listening to the sound of the water filling up, but I failed miserably. With every passing minute, I felt more and more hopeless. Draco was probably never coming back. I was a lost cause after all. The thought of being left alone again made me extremely nauseous and I had to crawl to the nearest toilet to avoid retching all over the floor. I dry heaved until stomach acid burned my throat and I could only gag and cough uncontrollably.

It was only after I could stop my throat from convulsing that I became aware of the strong hand rubbing soothing circles on my back and the other hand holding up my hair. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and quickly turn around to hug my source of comfort- trying to ignore the immense amount of pain in my body.

"Told you I'd be right back, Granger," he whispered in my ear while softly stroking my hair. I only held him tighter. "Come on, let's get you all cleaned up." And then he's lifting me up with a surprising amount of strength and settling me on the ledge once more.

I could see the items he'd brought back were laid on the step below me. Draco began to show me everything he'd gotten. There were silk green pajama pants and a too big t-shirt for me to wear. He said he couldn't find anything else, but I told him they were more than I could ask for. I also think he's slightly amused that I had to wear _Slytherin_ green pants. He'd snuck some pain potion and dreamless sleep, along with some much needed healing balm for my...wounds. Once the clothes were put aside, I realized he'd also brought a big fluffy towel and washcloth, which I was beyond thankful for.

The tub was now full and I blushed when Draco respectively turned away so I could undress. I carefully slid out of, what was left of, my shirt and skirt, heeled off my shoes and used my toes to remove my stockings. I cautiously lowered myself into the water and had to bite my lip, to hold in a hiss of pain, as the water met my nether regions.

"Okay," I said in a quiet voice once I was fully settled and the bubbles kept my modesty. He turned around and sat on the ledge I had previously occupied.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly. I liked this Draco. This Draco cares. This Draco makes me feel safe. This Draco I can trust.

"Sore," was my mumbled response.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "Do you need any help?" He asks as I reach for the soap to scrub my body raw, but drop my arms in agony. I closed my eyes and nodded. All I could think of was how useless I must seem to him. My eyes snap open when I feel him settle himself next to me. My cheeks flamed.

"W-what are you-" I stammered. The only thing he wore were his pants. When had that happened? "I won't look. I promise. I'm just helping you out, okay?" He asked with that soft voice I was growing quite accustomed to. Why was he being so kind? I could only nod dumbly as he reached for the soap. I blushed even further as I felt his hand encase mine while he gently scrubbed my arms with the damp washcloth. He began to wash my neck and I subconsciously squeezed his hand and bit my lip, hard, when he touched a particularly sore spot.

"I'm sorry," he muttered when he felt me tense up in pain. I simply nodded in reassurance and he continued to wash me as if he'd done this every day of his life. Seriously, why in the name of Merlin, is he helping me?

"Draco?" My voice is quiet and raspy from crying and vomiting. He meets my eyes immediately and pauses his actions.

"Yes?" He asks and absentmindedly strokes my hand with his thumb.

"Why are you helping me? I thought you only thought of me as a lowly mud-" but before I can finish he gently covers my mouth with his hand, effectively shutting me up. There's a strange look in his eye. It can't be hurt. Can it? Did I hurt his feelings?

"Please, please don't call yourself that. Ever. I mean it Hermione. You're so much more than that. I regret everything I've ever said or done to hurt you in any way. You're beautiful, smart, exceedingly clever, and your magic puts many purebloods to shame. I'm truly sorry for everything I've done to you in the past. I hope we can start over this year and maybe, who knows? We'll become friends?" He says nervously. Now the tears are flowing freely and hitting Draco's hand where it covers my mouth. Realizing this, he removes his hand and wipes away my tears with concern etched on his face.

"I'd like to be friends with you Draco. Thank you." I half-whisper, my voice cracking a bit. He smiles and a realize I love his smile. It's contagious. I actually giggle when he reaches to hug me and then blushes a bit and kisses the back of my hand instead. Then I'm reminded of my predicament and sober up immediately. He must've noticed my sudden mood change because then he's shifting to wash my back. I sit as comfortably as possible with my back to his chest as he uses his free hand to softly trace unintelligible patterns between my shoulder blades, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

Once he's finished washing the visible parts of my body, he hands me the washcloth so that I can cleanse my more...intimate areas. I hesitantly take the cloth and dip my hand beneath the water to carefully wash away the grime sure to cause infection. I look up at him curiously as Draco stands up and moves to sit on the edge of the tub. Smart move, I wouldn't want to be near me at this time either. I can tell he's trying not to look at me, so I try and wash myself as quickly as possible. Stupid move. I instinctively grab anything to dig my fingers into as a scrub a VERY tender spot a bit TOO quickly and have to nearly impale my bottom lip to not scream. That anything just happens to be Draco's knee. Draco, sensing my pain, kneels back down beside me in the water and shifts his body so that I once again sit with my back against his chest. He'd gently removed my hand from his knee and I was worried I'd cut off his circulation as I squeeze his hand with vigor.

"Shh...breathe Granger. I've got you. Just breathe. Shh...shh," he shushes me gently. I then become acutely aware that I had been panting like a mad man this entire time. The pain really was unbearable and it still burns like dragon fire. I try and steady my breaths and loosen my grip on his hand just slightly. "I didn't want to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable, but I'll help you if you'd like," he whispered while still holding my hand.

I shook my head. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable either. You really don't want to," I whispered with my eyes still shut tight.

He rests his chin on my shoulder and I feel his warm breath ghost across my cheek as he speaks softly in my ear, "I'll admit I'm not particularly fond of this task, but it's not because I'm disgusted by you. I'm disgusted by whoever did this too you, Hermione. I don't care what I have to touch or how dirty I get, I WANT to help you. I'm not uncomfortable with you as long as you're not uncomfortable with me. Do you want me to help you?" I nod and shiver as he presses a soft kiss to my shoulder. I hear his other hand submerge beneath the water and the washcloth rest against my stomach, along with his wrist.

"I'll be gentle, I promise. Hold my hand and try to relax. Squeeze when it hurts," he says soothingly. I only hesitantly nod and give him the go ahead. The cloth touches my oh-so-sensitive bud and I squeeze his hand instinctively. "Shh...relax, Hermione. I'm not going to hurt you," he cooes softly and leans back for a more comfortable position. I know he's lying; it's gonna hurt a hell of a lot, but his voice soothes me into submission and I loosen my grip on his hand and lean back against his chest. He moves his hand lower and lightly dabs at my slit. I immediately hiss and I almost double over in pain if he hadn't moved our conjoined hands to hold my hips down. I'm whimpering and tears are pouring down my cheeks, but he's whispering praises in my ear and stroking the back of my hand with his thumb that has probably gone numb. "Shh...I'm sorry, love. Just a bit longer. You're doing great Hermione. Just breath. Shh...almost done," he whispers while continuing to cleanse me.

"D-distract me, p-please," I hear myself sob out in my delirious state. What had I just done? I hear him hum in thought and then he whispers for me to lean back. I lean back against his chest and rest my head on his shoulder. Our conjoined hands rest between my ribs on my tummy. He momentarily stopped his previous actions to help me get situated. I can feel his hard abs on my back as he presses me against him.

A soft gasp escapes my parted lips when I first feel his lips brush my neck. "Are you okay, angel? I can stop," he says somewhat huskily. I shake my head against his shoulder and he briefly releases my hand to move my damp hair to one shoulder. I crane my neck to give him better access and he reclaims my hand. He presses feather light kisses to my neck and the sensation still manages to give me butterflies even given my current condition. I feel his lips falter and then I remember. The bruises. He's definitely disgusted now. I feel him release my hand and I try to scoot away from him, but he holds me firm.

"Hey, it's okay Hermione. It's not that. I don't want to take advantage of you is all. You're beautiful and I could easily get carried away." He notices his less than poor choice of words a bit too late. "Shit, I-", but it's too late. His grip had loosened when he noticed his mistake and I hurriedly rip myself from his arms and move to the opposite side of the bathtub.

"Hermione, sweetheart, I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it that way. Please come back and I'll get you out of here. You're clean enough for now, right? Let's dry you off, love," he says in that velvety soft voice of his. I only nod and with a final sniffle, I shuffle back towards him. He meets me half way and strokes my cheek. "Are we still friends?" He asks somewhat teasingly, but I can hear the sincerity in his voice. I nod immediately and cross my arms over my breasts before leaning against his chest and yawning. He chuckles and the noise sends warmth through my body. "It's going to be a bit difficult to get you out when you're asleep, angel," he whispers, but wraps his arms around me anyway. "Tell you what, let's get you dressed, rub some healing balm on those, and then we can cuddle, okay?" I nod against his chest and I feel him gently withdraw from my body. My eyes immediately snap open when I hear him get out of the water.

"It's okay. I'm just getting your towel," he reassures before drawing his wand and casting a drying spell on himself. He slips his shirt back on and then grabs my towel and holds it out in front of us, so that he can't see me. I carefully hoist myself up and sit on the ledge, so that my feet and legs are now visible. Noticing this he says, "Arms up, or as high as you can get them." I lift my arms and his face becomes visible again as he wraps the big, fluffy towel around my body. I snuggle into it and he smiles warmly at me. "We'll try thoroughly cleaning you later once the pain potion has kicked in, but for now let's just get you all fixed up, okay?" He asks while checking to make sure the towel is secure and then lifting me up into his arms. I nod and he sits down on the bottom step with me on his lap and then he reaches for the jar of healing balm and unscrews the cap.

I notice what's left of my old uniform on the floor and Draco, noticing me noticing this, asks what to do with them. "Burn them," was my immediate response and with a flick of his wand they turned to ash. "Thank you," I whisper, turning in his arms to wrap my arms around his neck. I hear the soft clink of the jar as he sets it back on the step, and then the feel of his strong arms gently wrapping around my waist and his thumbs stroking my back.

"It's going to be okay, Hermione. You won't have to worry about whoever did this to you ever again. I'll protect you," he whispers. I nod my head against its place on his shoulder and he gently pulls me away from him and dips his fingers into the balm which he then proceeds to massage into my marred skin and watch as the bruises lightened in color. Every time I'd wince, Draco would praise me for being so strong and that he'd be done soon.

Finished with healing my neck, he kisses my forehead and carefully lifts me off his lap so that he could wash his hands. I watch his muscles move deliciously as he walks to one of the sinks with his shirt still untucked...and unbuttoned.

Draco sure has changed since the war. He's taller, at least a head taller than me and he's got a few inches on Ron. Stop, Forget Ron. He had developed more than well-defined muscles from all the quidditch he'd been involved in. Seeker training was kind to him. Forget kind, a bloody Saint. He was still thin, but not sickly so like in 6th year. He had just enough muscle on him to be impressively strong, but not Victor Krum buff. He was still pale, but his skin was flawless aside from the sectumsempra scars on his chest and the dark mark on his arm, which was mostly faded by now. He no longer slicked his hair back with cement, but his hair fell in tousled platinum blond locks, with fringe that fell right above his eyes. Oh Godric Gryffindor, his EYES. They were like a silver-y blue with a steel gray ring. I was mesmerized by the beautiful color. His piercing orbs met mine as he dried his hands and he smiled. Oh, and his smile. I'd never noticed that Draco Malfoy had the hottest dimples I'd ever seen. Ever. Probably because I'd never seen him smile. I loved his smile. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside whenever he'd flash his perfect pearly-white teeth between full pink lips. I blushed as his smile turned into a knowing smirk that only a Malfoy could get away with. He walked towards me and gracefully picked up the clothes he'd brought me, put them in my lap, and turned around. I smiled to myself as I removed the towel and slipped on the extremely large t-shirt and pants. The pants were actually so baggy that they stretched a good six or seven inches from my waist.

"Draco, can you help me stand?" I ask quietly and he immediately turns around and slips his arm underneath mine to help me stand. Once I've got my balance under control, I hold the pants up with one hand and look from the pants to him before arching a playful eyebrow, causing his smirk to grow. He moves my hand away and holds the pants up himself, causing my breath to hitch considering I have nothing on underneath. Like, _nothing_. He uses his other hand to hold up my shirt, and then maneuvers his hands to slowly, deliberately, pull the drawstrings to tighten the waistband of my pants.

"Come on, Granger. Time for your pain potion," he says as if nothing had happened. Nothing HAD happened, I guess. Had it? He lifts the vial to my lips and I down it without a second thought. He vanishes the empty vial, along with the healing balm, towel, washcloth, and the pile of ash on the floor. He tames my damp curls with a quick spell and then wraps his arms around my waist and kisses my cheek. I return the embrace and daringly stroke his hair, earning me a contented hum.

"Draco?" I whisper, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Mhmm?" He hums back.

"W-what now? I can't go to my dorm. I-I don't want to be alone. Please don't leave me alone again," I softly cry on his shoulder and hold his closer.

"Hey, hey, I'm not leaving you, sweetheart. Don't worry, I said I'd protect you, remember? I know where we can go. You'll be safe. Come on," he says and lifts me up into his arms. He bends over and I pick up the vial of dreamless sleep since he has no free hands. I hold it to my chest and close my eyes when I here him open the bathroom door by whispering a spell.

When I open my eyes a few minutes later, we're standing in front of the door to the Room of Requirement. He opens the door and I watch over his shoulder as we enter the room and the door immediately disappears. I turn my head and take on the lovely scene. There's a lit stone fireplace with a comfortable love seat in front of it and a couple arm chairs. There's a small table with a plate of sweets and, looking around, there's bookshelves lining every wall. In the corner, I find a large 4-poster bed with soft blue bedding. I see a door which must lead to a bathroom. "It's perfect," I breathe out and I feel tears well up in my eyes as he gently sets me on the couch and kicks off his shoes by the fireplace before walking over to the bed and pulling back the covers. No one had ever done anything so kind. He waltzes back over to me and takes the vial of dreamless sleep from my hands and sets it on the small table of sweets.

"C'mon sleepy head. Time to sleep. We'll sort everything out tomorrow. Right now your body needs to recover," he says with an amused smirk as I fall back against the cushions with a yawn. I nod and find myself swaying forward. Draco catches me with a soft chuckle and lifts me into his arms. Next thing I know, I'm laying on a cloud of fluffy blue and gray pillows, silky sheets, and soft blankets.

"Mm...goodnight Mr. Cloud," I mumble incoherently, causing Draco to chuckle again while tucking me underneath the duvet. I'm vaguely aware of him tipping my head back and the familiar taste of Dreamless Sleep potion sliding down my throat. I hear him walk away and I catch him about to lay down on the couch when I shoot my head up and ask, "What about the cuddling part? You said we could cuddle after you fix me up," I say in a childish tone of voice. I see him smile at my own delusional state and then walk back towards the bed, slip under the covers, and wrap me in his strong arms as I snuggle against his side and use his bicep as a pillow. I inhale his subtle scent of fresh parchment, sweet mint, and vanilla before falling into a peaceful, very much welcomed, darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: I really hope you guys enjoyed! As I said before, there's a poll up on my profile page so that you guys can vote on this remaining a one-shot, or a full story. Thanks so much for your amazing support so far! I love you all so much! Thank you a bazillion times over, and as always, please favorite, follow, and review!**

 **Also, please check out my other stories: _Unconditionally Unconventional_ (A Draco & OC WIP) and _Bright Side_ (A Dramione WIP)**

 **Lots of lovely lovely love,**

 **Mae :)**

* * *

 _Update as of March 7, 2017_

 _Hey guys! I'm happy to let you all know that this is now a WIP! Thanks to all your amazing support, I've decided to turn this into a multi-chapter fic! *please hold your applause*_

 _Seriously though, you guys have no idea how much your reviews and everything mean to me. I love all of you, even the viewers who don't fav and follow...JK ;)_

 _I can't thank you all enough. I plan on publishing chapter two sometime next week or maybe sooner. I'm going to keep this a "complete" story even though technically it's not._

 _As for the next chapter, uhh...some of you may think Draco and Hermione are moving a little fast, and I completely understand what it's like to be annoyed by that. I'm just a huge Dramione fan and I specialize in fluff and smut. Therefore, I apologize in advance and I will try to keep my fan girl side on the down low for the first few chapters so that the plot can actually develop. Not that every chapter won't be full of loads of fluffy goodness..._

 _Before you read this, I'd like to mention that the following is a request and NOT a demand. I'm not going to trap you into reviewing if you want to read the next chapter._

 _I'd like to very politely ask to make it to 50 favorites, 30 follows, and 15 reviews before I publish chapter two. Again, this is just a personal goal, but I will still be publishing regardless of the number of reviews I get. (But it would still mean the world to me if you reviewed :)_

 _Thank you again so much and I will be doing specific shoutouts next chapter, so please review if you want to be a part of that._

 _Also, let me know what you think of the first person POV. I was a bit hesitant to write in 1st person, as I know many are hesitant to READ 1st person POV, but I think it's worked out okay so far. How 'bout you?_

 _Please be sure to check out my other fanfic, Unconditionally Unconventional (I know, stupid title, I'll change it later probably). It's a Draco + Original Character WIP fic written in 3rd person limited (mostly) POV with Draco as the POV. Hermione will be featured in the next chapter which will be posted very soon as well. Please check it out. I promise you it's worth your time! LOTS of fluff! It's kind of like COSLI._

 _Anyway, I'll be sure to publish chapter two ASAP and also, I've been trying to edit this chapter, work out all the kinks (grammar & spelling mistakes). You know how it is, so let me know if you see any and be sure to PM me anytime or review if you have any questions._

 _As always, LOTS of love,_

 _Mae 3_

 _(Is it immature of me to think that "heart" looks like a butt?)_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey to all you beautiful readers! I hope you're all feeling the aster today! I'm super happy to be publishing chapter 2 of _Comfort, Or Something Like It_! I've debated forever about keeping this a one-shot or turning it into a multi-chap fic. If any of you are interested in the boring details please check out the update found in the ending author's note in chapter 1. I know this A/N is kinda all over the place, but I'm trying to publish at 1 in the morning so please cut me some slack.**

 **I'd just like to thank all of you amazing viewers for your encouragement and support. A special thanks to: _Marina Renee_ , _furface294_ , _flearambo_ , _Celeste_ _Verteidiger_ , _Elocintheelvenprincess_ , _Dracohasmycat_ , _Sweetdevils_ , _elizabethrose1974_ , and of course _Guest_** **. Thank you for your sweet reviews and kind words which have inspired me to continue this fanfic.**

 **And of course thank you to all those who followed and favorited! I love you all so much!**

 **This chapter may seem a little rushed, but as I said last time; I specialize in fluff and smut. Not perfect plot development. Be sure to let me know what you think in the reviews or PM me anytime. I'm always available for a quick chat! I hope you guys enjoy and let me know ASAP if you spot any grammar mistakes, spelling errors, or if you disagree with the dates. Thnx.**

 **As always, lots of lovely lovely love,**

 **Mae :)**

 *****TRIGGER WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS MENTIONS OF RAPE AND ADULT THEMES!*****

 ***Disclaimer: I am by no means J.K. Rowling and therefore take no ownership of any Harry Potter themes in this fic.***

 **Thanks, and be sure to read the A/N at the end of this fic! Hope you enjoy and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE fav, follow, & review!**

* * *

 _November 17, 1998_

* * *

[Draco's POV]

"Mmpff..." A small smirk tugged at the corner of my lips as I felt the delicate body of Hermione Granger burrow herself further into my chest as she let out a soft whimper.

I peeked an eye open and my view was mostly blocked by her mane of honey brown curls, but I saw her eyes were still closed, so I just pulled her tiny form closer and stroked her soft hair while listening to her steady breathing.

I blinked away my remaining sleepiness, glanced at the clock on the wall, and saw it was quarter to seven. We'd have to leave soon if Hermione wanted to get back before the others awakened. Then again, she looked so peaceful. If one were to look at her now, they'd have no idea what she'd endured last night. The horrible things she'd been subjected to. The trauma that would follow her the rest of her life.

With that thought, I decided to let her sleep just a bit longer because I knew as soon as she woke up; it wouldn't be just a bad dream.

* * *

 _24 minutes later..._

* * *

[Hermione's POV]

 _Pain. Indescribable pain._

 _"Come with us 'Mione! We've got something to show you." That's what they said. And I followed them. Why wouldn't I? Who was I to deny my best friends?_

 _Don't touch me. Please please don't touch me! Cold hands violating me, stealing my innocence. Haven't I lost enough?_

I wake with a sharp gasp and to the feeling of someone speaking softly in my ear, "Shh...it's okay Hermione. I have you, you're safe. It was just a bad dream."

"But it wasn't," I whisper back as I turn my body to find myself looking into the silver eyes of Draco Malfoy. He looks at me for a minute and then smoothes my hair back and presses a kiss to my forehead. His warm arms wrap themselves around my trembling body and I snuggle further into his embrace.

"Draco? C-can I tell you something?" He nods and tilts my head up with his index finger.

"Just-just don't get mad. Please," I whisper and his brows furrow but he nods again nonetheless.

"When that happened to me, I was still..." _Breathe Hermione. The first step is overcoming trauma is admitting to yourself what happened._

"I was still a virgin," I whispered and immediately burrowed back into his embrace after speaking the words.

Anxiety gnawed at my stomach and made my heart clench as I felt him tense beside me.

"You mean you and Weasley never..." he said and I was overcome by nausea once more.

 _Technically...yes._

"No," I whispered into his neck and suppressed a shudder.

A painful two minutes passed before he spoke again.

"Hermione, look at me," he said softly.

When I did I was shocked to see the tears in his own eyes. They made them look even more beautiful in a weird way.

He wrapped his arms tighter around me and leant his forehead against mine. His warm breath ghosted across my lips as he spoke softly.

"It doesn't count, okay? What happened...don't let it count. One day you'll meet someone who will make it count. They'll be your first. You may not be a virgin physically, but your mind is still innocent. Whoever did this to you stole something beautiful, but it wasn't taken by your consent. One day you'll know how it's really supposed to feel. As far as you are concerned, you're still a virgin. Nobody can tell you otherwise," he dove his hand into my curls, right behind my ear, and gently massaged my scalp.

"Thank you," I whispered as tears flowed down my cheeks. He moved his hand to wipe them away and I never wanted to leave his side. No one had ever taken the time to comfort me like this. And he was right. Rape is a crime. It's not something beautiful that happens between two people like making love. I'm still a virgin. Maybe not physically, but somebody out there will fill that void and replace the memories with new ones. Happier ones.

He leant back and kissed my forehead. "You deserve so much better," he whispered and then looked me in the eye and I knew what he'd say before he said it.

"Hermione, who did this to you? You can trust me. Please, just tell me. You can't keep something like this to yourself. It will consume you. I know it will. Remember sixth year?" _Of course I did. How could I not when you were so obviously in turmoil?_

I nodded and exhaled deeply. He took my smaller hand in his and interlaced our fingers.

"I-It was..." I broke off in a sob. He held me close and waited patiently for me to continue.

"H-Harry and Ron. Ron was the first. I'm sorry for saying-" I whispered, but was abruptly cut off as Draco growled.

"I'm going to kill those mother-fuckers," he sneered and he was about to jump up, but I held tightly onto his arm and tugged him back down.

"No! You can't do that!" I yelled desperately.

"Like hell I can't! They fucking raped you last night, Granger! I won't give them the chance to do it again!" He yelled back.

Fear made me shrink away from him and I pulled away from his arms causing his expression to immediately soften.

"I'm sorry," he said softly and pulled me back into his arms.

I sniffled and he stroked my hair.

"I'm not mad at you. I just don't understand why they'd do that to you of all people. You're their best friend. I knew they were assholes, but even I didn't think they were capable of a deadly sin," he said.

"Neither did I," I whispered.

"Draco, please don't tell anyone," I said.

"Hermione-"

"No, please. No one would believe you. Everyone thinks they can do no wrong and they'd say I was lying."

"Hermione, you're Head Girl. Someone is bound to listen. I listened, right?" I nodded and felt myself gain an ounce of hope.

"We can go to Madam Pomfrey. She can take some tests and McGonagall will have proof that they did that to you. You'll never have to see them again," he said and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear.

"Okay, but we have to get to class soon and-"

"No."

"What?"

"No, Granger," he said softly, but firmly. "I don't want you anywhere near them. I'll tell McGonagall you aren't feeling well or something. I'll go to my classes and then when everyone else is at dinner we'll go to the hospital wing. You can't go to class right now though. Do you honestly even want to?"

"I don't want to be alone." I whimpered pathetically.

"I know, angel," he said softly and rubbed my back soothingly. "But I can't skip classes without an excuse and McGonagall won't believe that I'm taking care of the Head Girl. We'd have to tell her the truth."

"I know. I hardly believe it myself," I said.

"I'll go to your dorm and pick up a few books and bring you all your homework to keep you busy. I'll make sure no one can get in here except me and one of the kitchen house elves. I'll have him bring you some food. I'll be back before you know it. What's your password to your dorm?" He asked.

"Crookshanks." I said feeling slightly nostalgic as I remembered my beloved familiar.

"Okay," he whispered and tucked my head under his chin as he hugged me close. He kissed the top of my head and then gently extracted himself from me and stood up.

I could already feel fear take hold of my heart and my body felt drastically colder as his body detached itself from mine.

I watched as he slipped his shoes back on and straitened out his clothes. He ran a hand through his silky soft hair and rubbed his hands across his face a few times before heading for the door that began to appear.

"I'll be back with your things in a few minutes. If you need anything call Sinpy. He's a house elf that used to work at Malfoy Manor. I've known him my whole life, so you can trust him," he said as he opened the door.

I nodded because I didn't have the energy to argue with him over house elf rights.

He stepped out after flashing me a warm smile and I almost begged him to stay after that.

I snuggled all the way under the covers after I was sure the door had disappeared. I buried my face in the pillows and inhaled his lingering scent. _Why was everything_ _about him so perfect?_

I waited in silence for the first ten minutes and then worry consumed me after he still hadn't returned.

 _What if Ron and Harry got him too? No, that's stupid. Besides, Draco could easily beat the both of them to a bloody pulp._

 _But where was he? Did he abandon me? No, Draco wouldn't do that. He promised. Then again, what does a silly promise mean if he was just planning on ditching me from the beginning._

 _Shut up, Hermione. He's all you have right now. I trust him. He'll come back. I trust him. He'll come back. He'll come back. He'll come back. He'll come back._

I continued to recite this mantra in my head and didn't notice when I began to whisper it to myself out loud until I heard his soft voice say, "Of course I came back. I'll always come back, Granger."

I emerged from beneath the covers and he smiled. I didn't even hear him come in.

I reached my arms out for him like a toddler wanting to be picked up. He set the stack of books and parchment down on the end table and bent down to wrap his arms around my waist. I wrapped mine around his neck and held him close.

"I'm sorry I took so long," he said softly in my ear. "I had to change and grab my own bag before I head down to breakfast. Everyone else will be waking up by now. I need to go."

I held him tighter and he sat down on the bed, pulling me into his lap. He reached into his school bag and pulled out a small notebook. He handed it to me and I ran my fingertips along the leather bound spine. On the cover in elegant silver script in read, _Property of Draco Malfoy_.

"It's my private Journal. I write all kinds of stupid notes and doodles in there. It might keep you busy and you'll get to know me a little better. I've never let anybody read it before. It's kind of like a diary. I thought it's better than reading the same old books though and it might seem like I'm still here," he said and smiled that beautiful smile of his.

I looked into his eyes and felt myself tear up. _Why did he have to be so bloody thoughtful?!_

"Thank you. I'll take good care of it," I said. And I would. This kind gesture showed that he trusted me as much as I trust him. My trust having increased tenfold as soon as he said he'd always come back.

I hugged him one last time and sniffled into his shoulder as he held me close. I'd never felt safer in anyone's arms.

In the arms of the enemy as Ron would say. But now I knew the truth.

"I'll be back before you know it. Promise. You'll be fine, Granger," he said softly. For some reason I found myself enjoying whenever he called me Granger almost as much as when he called me Hermione. It was like a term of endearment.

I nodded and kissed him gently on the cheek without a second thought. He smiled softly and pecked my nose before gently lifting me off his lap and setting me down on the bed. I sat crisscross-applesauce and clutched the notebook to my chest as he grabbed his bag and made his way to the door.

He waved at me and gave me one last reassuring smile before opening the door and walking out without another word.

The door shut with a soft click and I breathed deeply three times to calm my racing heart and stop my impending tears.

"Get it together Hermione," I whispered to myself. "You're better than this. He'll be back before you know it."

I propped up a few pillows and sat back against them before opening the cover of his notebook.

The first page had none other than my name written in it. It looked a lot like muggle graffiti, but so much more beautiful in a way. A soft gasp escaped my lips as I traced the beautiful letters. I read the date at the top corner.

 _December 6th, 1996_

That was two years ago. We were in sixth year. Goosebumps prickled at my skin, but I tried not to read too much into a simple drawing.

Why would Draco draw my name in sixth year? He was a death eater We despised each other, or...at least I thought we did.

I turned the page and found a note written in Draco's elegant handwriting. It read:

 _December 18, 1996_

 _I can't get her out of my mind. What started as a stupid crush has turned into something so much worse. If father found out I wished to court a mudblood he'd kill me. He's already been hounding me about fixing the vanishing cabinet. If I don't, mother might be killed. I don't have a choice. I have to give up my infatuation with Granger and fulfill my duty as the Malfoy heir. As a death eater._

A soft gasp escaped my already parted lips and I hurriedly snapped the cover of Draco's journal shut.

There's no way he wanted me to read this. How could somebody I thought to be so secluded and secretive trust me with his private journal? But then again, he did say he was infatuated by me, right? No, it was just a stupid crush! That was in sixth year! He already chosen his side.

But then why did he not turn Harry in, and why did he hesitate to join his parents in the courtyard during the final battle? It was his mother that he had followed. The woman he took up Voldemort's task to save.

Why would he help me?

Maybe...he could like me. No, even if Draco is a reformed Death Eater, even if he doesn't use the "m" word anymore; he's still Draco Malfoy. Malfoy Heir, Slytherin Prince, Blood Supremest, and he would never fancy a know-it-all, bookworm, emotionally damaged, _muggle-born_ like me.

I looked down at the journal I held in my hands. Part of me felt like I was violating his privacy and should just set the journal aside and forget I ever read that, but the other side wanted to know everything about Draco Malfoy. I want to know who he really is. After all, he's the only person I have right now. The only one I can trust.

I hesitantly reopened the journal and skipped to the 7th or 8th page.

A smile immediately tugged at the corner of my lips.

A beautiful drawing of some kind of dragon graced the page in black ink. Apparently Draco is an amazing artist.

I skimmed through a few more pages of beautiful sketches and stopped at another note.

 _February 14, 1997_

 _I saw her today. Handing out little heart-shaped cards to her friends, giving them warm smiles. I think she's the only one capable of smiling at a time like this. Or at least, it seems that way. I gave up on trying to forget her long ago. She's breathtaking. She's like the light in this never ending darkness. The Dark Lord has become more insistent. I've been given the task of murdering a man I've hardly ever spoken two sentences to and letting a dozen death eaters into the school. My true home. Her home. The only thing in my life that keeps we going is the one girl I can never have. Why in the name of Merlin did I need to fall for Hermione Granger?_

Tears stung my eyes and I blinked them away.

This couldn't be happening. Draco Malfoy couldn't have feelings for me. It wasn't possible!

But I guess in a world where your best friends of seven years rape you; anything is possible.

Draco Malfoy had another side to him, as did Harry and Ron.

Draco may be arrogant, selfish, and downright cruel at times, but underneath the facade was an extremely intelligent, compassionate, and beautiful human being who was just as scarred as I am.

Harry and Ron had shown their true colors last night. What they did was despicable and even the death eater Draco Malfoy would never condone rape. I'm sure of that.

Harry and Ron's actions were inexcusable. My stomach clenched as I realized the only reason I denied Draco's affections was because I was worried about what my friends would think, but screw my "friends".

Screw my denial.

Maybe I like Draco back. Maybe he's the one to fill that void in my broken heart. The one to mend my damaged emotions.

I looked down at the journal in my hands and traced the words "the one girl I can never have" with the tip of my finger.

What's stopping us now? Voldemort is dead, Draco defected, Harry and Ron will be long gone soon, and I don't give a damn what anybody else thinks.

I flashbacked to the way he had held me. The way he touched me with a tenderness I didn't know he possessed, his beautiful smile and the way it filled me with warmth, his gentle kisses and the butterflies that erupted in my belly as his silky soft voice filled me ears with his soothing words.

I whimpered as I was overcome with the need to be in his warm embrace. I'd truly never felt safer in anyone's arms. He made me feel safe and protected. His arms were strong and perfectly muscular, but his touch gentle and delicate. I yearned to inhale his intoxicating scent of sweet mint, apples, and fall air mixed with something entirely Draco.

How was it possible to fall for someone in less than 24 hours.

But when you think about it, Draco and I have known each other over seven years, and apparently he fell for me two years ago.

My breath hitched. Draco Malfoy had fallen for me, Hermione Granger.

But that's not even the scariest bit.

Hermione Granger had officially fallen for Draco Malfoy.

And both of us were totally and utterly _fucked_.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed chapter 2. I know it could've been better and the ending was a little rushed, but I'm trying.**

 **Please be sure to favorite, follow, and review! Your kind words mean everything to me. If you want more information please read chapter 1's ending A/N.**

 **Thanks for reading and I'll be sure to post chapter 3 ASAP. Please let me know if you see any errors or anything in either chapter.**

 **As always, lots of lovely lovely love,**

 **Mae :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** **Hey** **all you lovely, amazing, wonderful, brilliant, and most definitely BEAUTIFUL people! Can I just say that every one of you is beautiful? I don't care if you have a mustache or a unibrow or if your face is covered in zits or you have awful looking teeth. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!**

 **With that taken care of:**

 **OH MY FREAKING GODRIC GRYFFINDOR! Guys you have no idea. The positive response I've gotten from all of you just a day after posting chapter 2 makes me so unbelievably happy. I honestly get so emotional when I read your reviews because COSLI literally started out as no more than a plot bunny that I jotted down in my ratty tatty old journal. I never imagined that over 150 people would be following ME! Little ol' me. I know it's not a lot compared to those legendary dramione fics like Isolation or What the Room Requires (great fics btw), but your support is more than I could EVER ask for. Dramione, well, fanfiction in general I came across two years ago. It's honestly one of the best things that I could've come across. I know I'm kind of rambling, but...*collects thoughts*...reading and writing is like a crutch for me. Without it, my anxiety and depression would affect me a lot more than it does. But back to COSLI, kind of. Some of the first fanfiction I ever wrote was always a Hermione gets raped/captured by Rob and then falls in love with Draco Malfoy sort of thing. Completely unconventional, I know, but it's what fueled my imagination. I can't thank you guys enough for your kindness and sweet reviews. It means so much. And I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever. Finals are coming up!**

 **Without further ado, I'd like to personally thank all of you who have reviewed. I love you all so much and your kind words mean everything to me.**

 **Thank you to the following reviewers: (these are the reviewers from ch. 2 and the ones I didn't get from ch. 1. The others are found in the last chapter A/N :)**

 _ **dragonlover3001, mauxiemom, SAlpha, WolfGrigoryPassionSoulmate, Dracohadmycat, elizabethrose1974, Luna0092, JLeeP, jolene23, SapphireRubyHilton, bludgerwombat, DMONIC, Filisgare, Erica18, RaiderChic, Kaitycat41, Evangeline D'or, Tayloreen, constantlywondering, QueenofForks, Ms. An0nymus, Miss Kitty Wonderworld, PirateXXQueen, imjusttheretoread17, theforestofravenclaw, DontremembermefirwhoIwas,**_ **and of course thank you to the Guests!**

 **Please be sure to review because I always favorite, follow, and PM you a thank you note. Plus, you'll be in the next shoutout!**

 **Another huge thanks to all those who have favorited and followed and of course thank you silent viewers out there who just read. I understand where you are coming from and I feel your silent love.**

 ***sorry this is such a loooooong author's note btw***

 **Before we get started, is like to address a couple more things: I was recently left a review saying that virginity is not a "freshness seal" like media portrays...*this is where the breathing exercises come in*...I am perfectly aware that it's not some flap that is broken during a woman's first time. And I don't want anyone to think that your first time HAS to hurt. Since this has been bothering me, I decided to research and found out that most women don't even know what their hymen is or looks like. There are some doctors that say it's a narrow strip of skin in the vagina that is torn during sex and can cause some bleeding. Others say that a lot of women are born without one. Regardless, virginity is what you make of it. I'm still really young and personally have never experienced sex, but I know enough to know that 1) Rape is wrong and 2) If YOU think you are a virgin (regardless of whether you have a hymen or not) then you are. So let's just say, in Hermione's case, when I say that her virginal barrier was broken; that was her hymen. She had one and she felt it tear. Which caused pain. And she was being raped. Duh. If you don't have a hymen, you can still be a virgin because you either never had sex or it was without your consent. Maybe you just thought you lost it- I don't know, okay? Point is, it's fiction. You can pretend the hymen is some kind of "freshness seal" that causes an immense amount of pain when broken. It's okay. Phew! Sorry for my psycho rant on hymens and virginity that may or may not have disturbed you and if it did I sincerely apologize because I was pretty grossed out when I looked it up. *shudders***

 **I won't keep you for any longer. Thank you for reading (or glancing at) the A/N. I'm sorry if this chapter sucks. I know I'm rushing into things, but I can't freaking help it! Either you like it, or you don't. End of. Feel free to leave constructive criticism, just please not on this virginal vagina stuff. It bothers me to no end.**

 *****TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF RAPE AND MINOR INJURIES. PLUS FLUFF, LOTS OF FLUFFY BUNNIES TO SNUGGLE SO APPRECIATE IT PLZ ;)*****

 ***DISCLAIMER: I am not J.K. Rowling, so don't think I am. I know I'm that good and all, but I promise I'm not her ;) I think I spend too much time with Draco.***

 **I hope you enjoy and as always, please favorite, follow, and review! I love you all so so much!**

 **Lots of lovely lovely freaking love,**

 **Mae :)**

* * *

 _November 17, 1998_

* * *

I sat there for hours, snacking on food Sinpy had brought, writing papers that weren't due for a month, and of course, looking through Draco's journal.

I was mesmerized by his artistic skills and my heart continued to melt as I read more and more of his journal entries.

Some were even about his mission to kill Dumbledoore or taking the mark, and the more I read; the more I knew how good Draco truly was.

He was obviously traumatized by what the Dark Lord and the death eaters had put him through, and journaling seemed to be a good outlet for him.

I dozed off halfway through reading the whole journal, dreaming of a dragon with striking silver-blue eyes. When I woke up, there was only half an hour left before Dinner.

Now I sat on this unbelievably comfortable bed, staring at the clock on the wall with a lemon tart in one hand, waiting for Draco to return.

Part of me was anxious about his return. He obviously knew that I would realize how he felt about me, but did he think I would reciprocate his feelings? How was I supposed to act?

I knew one thing for sure. Whatever Draco felt towards me was pure, and I wouldn't ruin it with my awkwardness.

After waiting another ten minutes, patiently skimming through Draco's journal, the three cups of tea I had earlier finally kicked in and had to pee really bad.

I gently shut the journal and pulled the covers back, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and wincing at the tenderness between my thighs. I slid down from the bed and had to clutch the sheets in my fists to keep from tumbling to the ground as my knees buckled.

I eventually settled on just easing to the ground as gently as possible and crawling to the bathroom slowly and carefully.

After relieving myself and gritting my teeth when wiping became the most difficult of obstacles, I flushed the toilet and used the little arm muscle I had to hoist myself into a standing position using the counter ledge. I turned on the taps and scrubbed my hands clean, keeping my head ducked to avoid my reflection which was undoubtedly horrific.

Unfortunately, my unruly hair fell in my face and I had to toss my head back to avoid using my wet hands. My eyes caught my reflection and I actually jumped back in horror, causing me to loss my already poor footing and tumble to the floor, my elbow hitting the floor with a painful bang, as well as my knees.

A strangled cry escaped my lips before I could stop it. I clutched my elbow which had taken the biggest blow and curled up in a little ball, sobbing softly to myself.

Why did life hate me so much? I needed help. I needed Draco.

"Sinpy?" I called softly. The elf appeared with a small pop and his eyes widened remarkably when they fell on me.

"Miss Herminny is injured?"

"Yes, yes, please go get Draco. I need Draco. Please," I whimpered desperately.

"B-but Sinpy cannot summon Master Draco right now. Master Draco will be back soon, Miss. Sinpy can help Miss Herminny with whatever she asks. Please Miss, let Sinpy," the elf snapped his fingers as if to levitate me, but my animalistic cry had the poor thing jumping back in fright.

"No! Please, please, just get Draco. Please," I begged. I needed Draco. I wanted to feel his strong arms holding me close and his soft voice whispering in my ear that I'd be okay even though it was the farthest thing from the truth.

Sinpy gulped, nodded shakily, and disappeared with a pop.

Sinpy appeared again a minute or two later saying that Draco was on his way.

"Th-thank you, Sinpy. You can go," I whispered brokenly and when he disappeared I let the tears fall freely.

"I'm sorry that you hate me," I whispered, losing my grip on sanity and talking to anyone who may be listening. "I don't know what I did or why I deserve this. I've done nothing wrong! What did I possibly do to deserve this?!" I cried, my voice cracking as I choked on my own sobs.

The door to the Room of Requirement suddenly slammed open and I only cried harder when Draco's hurried footsteps stopped right next to my slowly crumbling body.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, shhh...I've got you, princess. Shhh...It's okay, I've got you," he soothed and I clutched at his broad shoulders desperately as he gathered me in his warm arms and cradled me in his lap.

I felt myself tremble in his hold and I squeezed him tighter to try and stop it.

"What hurts, angel?" He asks softly. I sniffle and pull back just enough to show him my scraped up elbow and roll up my pant legs to show him my knees which weren't as bad, but still stung and were covered in angry red marks. My elbow, on the other hand, was bleeding.

"Wow, what'd you do, go tumbling off a cliff or something?" He says teasingly. He kisses my forehead softly and lifts me up and back into his arms. He stands and walks back out into the living space where he sets me on the bed gently. I immediately reach for him when he tries to stand and he strokes my cheek, assuring me he'll be right back. He heads back into the bathroom and reappears a minute later with some cream, a damp cloth, and a few bandaids. He sits on the edge of the bed and I clamber into his lap, hating my own desperation.

"Let's get those fixed up, huh?" I nod and bury my face in his neck, inhaling his intoxicating scent.

He gently grasps my arm and twists it slightly to get a good look at my elbow. He wipes away the blood with the cloth and then applies the cream, smoothing it into my skin. I bite my lip at the slight burn it causes, but it's gone within seconds, leaving a nice cooling sensation. He straightens my arm so the bandaid will bend with my arm and not get all bunched up and then he carefully sticks it over the cut.

He gently bends my arm to test it out, his soft hands caressing my skin and leaving goosebumps in their wake.

"What's that muggle saying? 'Kiss it better'?" He asks softly. I nod and I swear my heart literally skips a beat as he lowers his head to gently kiss my elbow, holding my gaze the entire time.

I give him a watery smile as he leans back up to give me a cheeky wink. His soft hands come up to wipe away the tears staining my cheeks.

"Feeling better?" He asks and I giggle softly, causing him to smile.

"I have to now." I murmur and he smirks.

"Good." He makes quick work of giving my knees the same treatment and then he gently tugs my pant legs back down and pulls me into his firm, muscular chest.

"What happened, princess?" Butterflies erupted in my tummy at the term of endearment and I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding him closer.

"I fell," I whispered.

"No!" He mock gasped causing me to giggle lightly and him to tighten his hold on my waist.

"I had to use the bathroom and as I was washing my hands I saw my reflection and sort of...freaked. I lost my footing and went tumbling." I mumbled.

"My, my, Granger. I never knew you were such a klutz."

I gasped and slapped his arm playfully causing him to chuckle. The melodic rumble sent waves of happiness coursing through me and I found myself laughing along with him. Just ten minutes ago I thought I'd never laugh again.

I laughed until tears filled my eyes and I couldn't even remember why I was laughing.

"I'm sorry," I gasped out trying to control my hysteria. I snuggled into him, pulling my knees to my chest and curling up in a ball. His strong arms encased my body, making me smile softly.

"I love your laugh," he whispers against my hair and I immediately tilt my head back to meet his eyes. He strokes my cheek with his thumb and I feel my eyes well up with tears as the words he'd written in his journal fly around inside my head, making it hard to focus.

I carefully climb off his lap and onto the bed, grabbing his journal, and holding it to my chest tightly.

His eyes follow my every move and he slips his shoes off, moving to sit crisscross applesauce across from me on the bed. His perfectly manicured hands come up to rest on my knees and he strokes along the outline of my bandaids.

"I-I didn't finish the whole thing, but I read enough. I know...you know...how you feel, or felt. Like I said, I didn't finish it, so for all I know you might have changed your mind in the last year or something." I said softly, looking anywhere but at him.

After a moment of silence, he tilts my head up with his index finger and cups my cheek in his hand. "I assure you," he whispered, "my feelings have not changed. They never will."

Warmth floods my cheeks and butterflies erupt in my belly when he leans forward to kiss my cheek, his lips lingering a little longer than just a chaste peck.

"Okay," I whisper, looking into his eyes.

"Okay?" He questions, arching a perfectly sculpted eyebrow.

I smile shyly up at him and then lean forward, bracing my hands on his knees so I don't fall over, close my eyes, and brush my lips against his. He doesn't respond at first and I almost thought I'd made a huge mistake, but then his lips begin to move against mine and one of his hands cradle the back of my head while his other interlaces his fingers with mine. My other hand grasps the back of his neck.

He gently eases me onto my back, laying flat on the bed as he leans over me on his forearms while his lips continue to massage mine. A soft moan escapes my lips when he deepens the kiss, his tongue running along my bottom lip and coaxing me to open for him. I do so hesitantly and the butterflies start doing cartwheels when his tongue tangles with mine.

A minute of passionate snogging later and I have to break away for air. Draco leant his forehead against mine, his fingers running through my hair gently.

"So...," he smirks.

I roll my eyes playfully. "So I like you too, jerk."

He leans down to nuzzle my neck and I run my fingers through his baby fine hair. "This is crazy," he breathes against my skin, the sensation sending warmth flooding through me.

"We're not exactly conventional people," I whisper back causing him to chuckle.

"I love your laugh too," I say softly. He hums against me and next thing I know his soft lips are peppering kisses along my neck and jaw.

I couldn't prevent the soft mewls that escaped my lips if I tried. I squirmed beneath him as he continued his assault on my neck.

"You're adorable," he growled playfully causing a shiver to run down my spine.

Just then the dinner bell finally rang and Draco looked up at me with a soft smile.

He intertwined his fingers with mine and pressed a kiss to my knuckles.

"I know that we're going really fast. Just yesterday we were trying our best to ignore each other, but after I saw you like that...Hermione I promise to do everything in my power to help you through this. I'll stay away and we don't even have to act like this ever happened if you want." He let out a groan and dropped his head back into the crook of my neck, his warm breath tickling the sensitive skin.

"Look," he breathed, "what I'm trying to say is that you know I really like you. I know it's weird that just yesterday you were being...forced upon and now I'm here confusing you with my emotions and kissing you and...I just don't want you to feel intimidated or threatened in any way. If you ever want me to stop doing something; anything, just say so, okay?"

Tears had gathered in my eyes again and I reached up to pull him down for another kiss. I pulled back and whispered fiercely, "Draco, you're my safe haven in the hell I've been put through. Yeah, I'm traumatized by what happened yesterday and some things will scare me more than others, but as long as you're with me; I think I'll be okay. So thank you for everything. And I'll definitely never want to act like this didn't happen."

He rolled to the space beside me and pulled me on top of him, pressing kisses to my forehead and cheeks along the way causing me to let out a string of giggles.

I looked up at him from my place on his chest and smiled sadly. "I guess we have to go to the hospital wing now, huh?"

He sighed and his hands clasped themselves over my waist, resting on the small of my back. "Yeah. We'll probably have to see McGonagall afterwards as well. How about after that, we come back and just eat dinner here? Depending on what McGonagall says and after Potter and Weasley are taken into custody, you can probably go back up to your dorm, grab the essentials, and then we'll just sleep here."

"Okay. We better hurry so that we can be back before the others are roaming the halls again." I said.

Draco stands up, gently easing me off his lap, and grabs his bag, being sure to tuck his journal back into it as well. He sets it on the coffee table and then neatly stacks up all my schoolwork and sets it on the table next to his bag.

"I'm going to have to carry you to the hospital wing, so we'll leave all this stuff here and it'll still be here when we get back." He said, slipping his arms under the backs of my knees and then my back as I wrapped my arms around his neck and held him close. He lifted me into his arms and cradled me to his chest with ease. He carried me to the door and I turned slightly in his arms to help open the door.

We slipped out past the large door and I watched over Draco's shoulder as it disappeared.

As Draco carried me to the hospital wing, hiding from any stray students who were on their way to the Great Hall for dinner, my brain got the better of me.

What if McGonagall really didn't believe me? What if I got detention for "lying" to a professor? What if-

"Hermione, love, you're trembling." Draco commented softly and I felt his thumb trace non-intricate patterns on my back as he continued to carry me to the hospital wing as if I weighed no more than a feather.

"I'm just thinking about what McGonagall will say. I'm scared she won't believe me," I whispered into his collar.

"If she doesn't believe you then we'll find some other professor who will. That's why we're going to see Madam Pomfrey; for evidence." He said softly, but firmly.

I nodded against him and prayed that he was right.

He glanced down to make sure I was okay and then brushed his lips against my forehead. I smiled at the sweet gesture and craned my neck to kiss his cheek.

We finally reached the hospital wing and Draco pushed through the doors with some assistance on my part. He laid me on the nearest bed and called for Madam Pomfrey.

"Ah, Mister Malfoy. Miss Granger. What's happened?" She inquired and I saw her exchange odd looks between the both of us. No doubt she was wondering how the two students that seemed to want nothing to do with each other were suddenly brought together like this and weren't trying to kill each other.

Draco looked at me and asked softly, "Do you want me to step out?"

I shook my head vigorously and grabbed his hand, entangling our fingers.

"No! No, please stay. I can't do this without you." I begged. He gave my hand a light squeeze and sat in the chair by my bedside, encasing my smaller hand in his large ones.

Madam Pomfrey looked baffled by this to say the least.

"Madam Pomfrey," I started nervously and felt Draco squeeze my hand encouragingly.

"L-Last night I was raped by Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter. Draco found me and tried his best to care for me. Please believe me! I need your help informing Head Mistress McGonagall. I'm terrified she won't believe me and-" I was cut off when the elderly healer leant down embraced me in a tight hug. I felt tears cascade down my cheeks as I inhaled her sweet and calming scent.

When she pulled away she had tears shining in her own eyes. "Oh, of course I believe you dear. It's my duty to my patients to help them however I can. I'll inform Head Mistress McGonagall as soon as I've given you a proper exam. I don't want you to have any infections and I can give you some potion for the pain. I'm so sorry for what those boys have done to you, dear. And I can assure you you'll never have to deal with them again once the Head Mistress is informed. Now, let's get you changed into a gown and I'll take a look, alright?" I could only nod as tears of happiness and relief streamed down my cheeks.

"Thank you so much, Madam Pomfrey," Draco said sincerely.

The medi-witch turned to him with a soft smile.

"Thank you for helping Miss Granger, Mister Malfoy. I trust you've taken good care of her. Do you mind telling Head Mistress McGonagall I need to talk with her immediately? I'll take good care of Miss Granger until you get back." Draco nodded and I looked to him in slight panic.

He gave me that smile that I loved so much, showing off his perfect pearly white teeth that my parents would have marveled over and whispered, "I'll be right back, Granger. Everything will be better now. I promise." And with that, he stood and walked out of the hospital wing to the Great Hall (seeing as it were still Dinner time) where he would find McGonagall.

But he didn't understand.

Everything was better the moment he found me in the prefects' bathroom last night.

* * *

 **A/N: Well that's chapter 3 of COSLI! I wish it were longer and I know things are moving fast between Hermione and Draco. I hope I didn't disappoint too many of you. It's my birthday on the 15th, so please send me some birthday wishes! I love you all so freaking much and your endless kindness and support keeps me going. Once again I'm sorry I've been taking so long to update and I'll try to publish chapter 4 ASAP! Wow, chapter 4...**

 **As always, lots of lovely lovely love,**

 **Mae :)**


End file.
